8th Indian Horticulture Congress 2018

EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS

The importance of horticulture is being realized by one and all, be it a small farmer, the corporate sector or policy makers. There is now a large R&D network in the country with establishment of several institutions and launching of a number of developmental programmes. Horticulture in fact has come out of village confines to diverse agro climatic areas. Horticulture crop production surpassed food crop production in India for the first time during 2013-14. The trend continued during 2017 -18 with 305.40 MT. Despite significant increase in production of horticultural crops, low productivity and profitability in several crops is still a hurdle and is required to be attended in order to meet future challenges and avail global opportunities in the country. The role of innovative horticulture technologies is thus required to be continuously updated and given to all the stakeholders leading to safe, remunerative and sustainable production.

The 5 days Indian Horticulture Congress 2018 at Raipur, Chhattisgarh shall be from 29th October to 2nd November 2018 at Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (IGKV) organized by The Horticulture Society of India and IGKV with the objectives to take stock of the researchable issues in different horticultural crops, e.g. Fruits, Vegetables & Tuber Crops, Floriculture, M&A Plants, Spices, Plantation Crops, Bamboo and Mushroom. To discuss potential of new generation tools and techniques in crop improvement. To share innovative technologies in alternative production systems of horticultural crops. To analyze future challenge and chalk out strategies to mitigate them to keep horticulture sector remunerative.

The themes have been identified for the 8th Indian Horticulture Congress-2018: Quality Planting Material: Innovation in Production of Elite Quality Planting Material/Seed, Diagnostics, Plug Plant Production and Vegetable Grafting.

Opportunities in Horticulture R&D in Chhattisgarh: Horticulture research and development in Chhattisgarh; Tribal area Horticulture-led Development Models, Developmental Schemes and their Impact, Crop Insurance and Marketing Innovations, Promotion of Ethnic Crops and ITKs in Horticulture, Successful Entrepreneurs and PPP Models, Marketing Models.

The congress is open to all those interested in Horticulture R&D and related sectors, e.g. representatives from both public and private sectors, central and state government ministries and deptt., scientists, development workers and students from agricultural institutes and universities, state horticulture and other departments, representatives from international agencies, farmers' associations, agri-input agencies (like Seed, Fertilizers, Plant Protection Chemicals, etc.), NGOs etc. The deliberation of the Congress shall be in English.

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@Krishi Jagran Media Group
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Only 29 Percent Farmers Aware of details of PMFBY203012018-31-21T06:31:51ZKJ Staff Farmers are still unaware of the details of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bhima Yojana (PMFBY) even as the government and insurers are trying to increasing the penetration in the non-loanee segment, said a climate risk management firm WRMS.

Only 29 Percent Farmers Aware of details of PMFBY

NEWS

Farmers are still unaware of the details of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bhima Yojana (PMFBY) even as the government and insurers are trying to increasing the penetration in the non-loanee segment, said a climate risk management firm WRMS.

However, in many states, high satisfaction has been seen among the enrolled farmers and reasons for the same were proper impleme­n­tation in terms of assista­nce to farmers and involvement of insurance company and high percentage of insured farmers receiving payout, it said.

The PMFBY, launched in 2016, is the most important tool today to insure agriculture against climate and other risks. The scheme, which is an improvement over the previous agriculture insurance schemes, not only provides subsidized insurance to the loanee farmers but also avails it to the non-loanee farmers.

“In a recent survey done in 8 states (UP, Gujarat, Od­isha, AP, Chhattisgarh, Nag­aland, Bihar and Maharashtra) by BASIX, it was found only 28.7 percent of the sampled farmers are aware about the PMFBY,” the Weather Risk Management Services (WRMS) said.

As per the survey findings, farmers complain that the process for enrolment as non-loanee farmers is difficult. They have to obtain so­w­ing certificates, land rec­ords from the local revenue department, which is time consuming.

Further, the bank bra­nc­h­es and customer service centres are not always available for enrolment as they are pre-occupied with other works. “Farmers are not told why they have received or not received claims and what is the basis for the claim calculations,” it noted.

From those who were aw­are of the scheme only 12.9 percent could get their crop insured of which 77 percent were linked to loan. “"41.3 percent of the farmers cited lack of necessary docume­nts as the major challenge to get insurance and the other challenges were small land holdings (21.4 percent), lack of assistance from gove­r­nment officials (26 percent) and inefficiency of online systems (17.3 perce­nt),” the WRMS said about the findings of the survey.

There is a high willingne­ss to take insurance among the farmers who could not get themselves insured due to one of the above cited reasons, it added.

“One of the main reasons of improper implementation of PMFBY in several regions is lack of trained resources. There is a lack of awareness at every stage of implementation,” WRMS Managing Director Sonu Agrawal said.

Emphasizing the need to enhance awareness among no­n-loanee farmers, the WRMS suggested that simple platforms need to be built to help farmers apply for the scheme and at the same time get details on the risks covered in the scheme and how they can inform about their localized losses.

There is a need for a transparent platform wherein application, survey request and payout status can be timely checked and grievances of farmers and insurance companies can be redressed via a grievance redressal mechanism which can be set by government in advance, it added.

Rain, Floods Destroy Farms, Poultry units in Kerala

NEWS

Apart from affecting cash crops such as pepper, rubber, coffee, etc, the devastating floods washed off vegetables, medicinal plants and horticulture crops and acres of paddy cultivation in the Palakkad and Kuttanad regions.

There has been a loss of rich genetic resources of crop varieties and breeds and the flood-hit districts are some of the best agri production and promotion zones.

Broiler, pineapple and banana production zones suffered a huge loss. More than 80 percent of duck flocks in the Kuttanad area were lost.

Moreover, heavy losses also occurred in fisheries stocks, including ornamental, rearing and nuclear breeding stock of fishes and hatcheries, he said.

The loss occurred at a time when the State is trying to maintain sustainability in the production of milk, livestock and poultry. Roughly around one lakh each of milch cattle, goats, pigs and more than four lakh of poultry were lost, said TP Sethumadhavan, former Director of Entprepreneurship, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University.

The university itself lost high-producing milch animals, cattle sheds and nuclear stock of Vechur cattle from its Thumburmuzhy Cattle Breeding Farm of Thrissur, he said.

Raising concerns, Binny Immatty, President, Poultry Farmers and Traders Samithy, Kerala, said the State is likely to face a broiler chicken shortage in the coming months as around 25 lakh live birds were washed away in the flood along with feed and sheds. It will take nearly 45 days to get the broiler chicken from hatcheries in Tamil Nadu and neighbouring States, he said, adding that the wholesale and retail prices of broiler chickens are also moving up, registering a ₹10/kg increase this week.

Sethumadhavan, who is also a Consultant to the World Bank on Sustainable Agriculture, stressed upon the need to analyze the existing soil structure before planning for future farming activities. He emphasized on the need to consider precision farming methods and look at the opportunities for prefab construction for animal and poultry houses.

Farmers and entrepreneurs can think of high-precision intensive farming with a group farming approach for production, value-addition and marketing, he said.

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@Krishi Jagran Media Group
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National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF Funds) Allocation State by State203112018-56-21T07:56:34ZKJ Staff Kerala, currently in the grip of devastating floods, will come under consideration for NDRF funds with the disaster having been declared as being of severe nature. In 2017-18, it had received Rs 133 crore (until December 27) under NDRF. The figures presented in Rajya Sabha showed over Rs 29,000 crore allocated to various states since 2014-15. Out of this, Maharashtra (three allocations) and Karnataka (four) received over Rs 5,000 crore each. While all states received varying amounts of funding under SDRF, at least nine — Assam, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Mizoram, Punjab, Sikkim and Tripura —received none under NDRF during the period covered by the tabled figures.

National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF Funds) Allocation State by State

NEWS

Kerala, currently in the grip of devastating floods, will come under consideration for NDRF funds with the disaster having been declared as being of severe nature. In 2017-18, it had received Rs 133 crore (until December 27) under NDRF. The figures presented in Rajya Sabha showed over Rs 29,000 crore allocated to various states since 2014-15. Out of this, Maharashtra (three allocations) and Karnataka (four) received over Rs 5,000 crore each. While all states received varying amounts of funding under SDRF, at least nine — Assam, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Mizoram, Punjab, Sikkim and Tripura —received none under NDRF during the period covered by the tabled figures.

The massive floods in Kerala have killed nearly 400 people and 6,61,887 people are reported to be in relief camps (the total number is yet to be ascertained). Roughly speaking though, Kerala has to manage 25 percent of the total refugees who came to India after Partition; this is absolutely beyond the existing capacity of the state. Apart from that, around Rs 20,000 crore in losses has been estimated so far. And so, so the Government of Kerala is financially and institutionally not going to be able to manage disaster relief, and later, rehabilitation.

It needs the active financial support of various institutions and sources, and most important among these is assistance from the Central government. In India, there is a history of managing disaster-related finance and rehabilitation expenditure. The Indian Famine Codes of 1883 in fact form the first code of conduct for disaster finance in India. It was meant to ease the colonial administration's involvement in famine relief. After Independence, the Second Finance Commission (1955-60) introduced the margin money scheme for disaster relief ie seed capital to meet the disaster expenses of the state government. If the cost exceeded the margin money, the Central government sanctioned 75 percent of the extra expenditure (of which, 50 percent was a loan and 25 percent was a grant).resentational image

The margin money scheme continued till the Eighth Finance Commission (1985-90). The Ninth Finance Commission introduced the Calamity Relief Fund (CRF) and later, the Tenth Finance Commission decided to ensure additional financial support for rare severity with an extra fund called the National Fund for Calamity Relief. The Eleventh Finance Commission again revised the CRF and introduce the National Calamity Contingency Fund by levying special surcharges on Central taxes. Moreover, an additional Central assistance scheme was also introduced.

Apart from that, the National Disaster Management Act of 2005 ensured the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), State Disaster Response Fund and District Disaster Response Fund. Each of these funds is operated under specific rules and regulations, but not every demand of the state government is fulfilled by it. Additional Central assistance is a highly-politicised source of funding for disaster relief. Every state government submits a detailed project report for Central government assistance after a disaster, however the allocation is driven by both politics and norms. During election time, the Central government sanctions huge sums of money to state governments under special Central assistance and declares such disaster as national calamities. Political preference often works effectively if the state government's demands are accepted.

The Centre-state relationship in disaster management is still operating on an ad hoc basis and the Central government rarely agrees to the demands of the state governments. The problem arises when the capacity of the state government becomes insufficient to meet the demand at the time of crisis. The table below depicts the details of statewise allocation of disaster relief funding. It is evident from the table that states like Assam, Bihar, Odisha, Gujrat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu are receiving a higher share because of vulnerability to disasters.

It shows that Kerala received 1.62 percent of the total money allocated for the year 2018-19 at the national level. Central governments prefer to allocate under these norms, which provide a sum that is in no way close to the demand of the Kerala government. The Government of Kerala has asked for Rs 2,000 crore in special assistance and it is needed. The Centre allocated only Rs 100 crore at the start and later, when the floods made a statewide impact, the prime minister made a visit and announced Rs 500 crore in additional assistance. This still falls short of the cost of replacing the losses and the expenditures that will be incurred for relief operations.

Between 2014-15 and December 27, 2017, Maharashtra and Karnataka received the largest allocations under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for management of various disasters, including floods. This emerges from state-wise figures presented by the Home Ministry in Rajya Sabha in January this year. The Centre releases funds from the NDRF when the requirement, as assessed, cannot be met through the SDRF (State Disaster Relief Fund, with a 3:1 funding share between Centre and state).

This extreme dependency on the Centre on funds for disaster relief is an impediment on the long-term recovery of disaster-affected areas and communities. What the Kerala government is demanding is minimal compared to the demands of other states.

The Fourteenth Finance Commission also recommended that the Centre can adjust the contribution made by it to the state's fund, ie the money given by the Central government is treated as a contribution. So, there is no additional support again because whatever offered, it is within the norms of the 2005 Disaster Management Act. What the Kerala government is asking for is not charity, it is the official transfer of money assigned for disaster relief from the Central to the state government. It should not be politicized. Further, the fact that GST has impacted the NDRF in a big way since the money for it used to come from cesses on Central government taxes means the Fourteenth Finance Commission must urge the Central government to look for sources to ensure the continued existence of the NDRF.

The Centre-state relationship with the transfer of disaster response fund should be delinked from political preferences. In this context, Kerala cannot raise money from its own sources which are smaller, so other sources are relevant. Public contribution is a minimum among them; the next option is to go for external aid (nearly 70 percent of the 2004 tsunami rehabilitation came from foreign aid). It is a practice that creates a debt burden on the state government as well. Such burdens further hamper the long-term recovery of disaster-affected areas and communities.

Selected Statewise Projected Disaster Relief

Fund (Central Share) in India: 2015-2016 to 2019-2020

(Rs in crores)

2015-16

2016-17

2017-18

2018-2019

2019-2020

Andhra Pradesh

330.00

346.50

363.75

381.15

400.50

Arunachal Pradesh

46.80

49.50

51.30

54.00

56.70

Assam

414.00

434.70

456.30

478.80

503.10

Bihar

351.75

369.00

387.75

407.25

427.50

Chhattisgarh

180.75

189.75

198.75

208.50

219.00

Goa

3.00

3.00

3.00

3.00

3.00

Gujarat

528.75

555.00

582.75

612.00

642.00

Haryana

231.00

242.25

254.25

267.00

280.50

Himachal Pradesh

212.40

223.20

234.00

245.70

258.30

Jammu and Kashmir

229.50

241.20

252.90

265.50

279.00

Jharkhand

273.00

286.50

300.75

315.75

331.50

Karnataka

207.00

217.50

228.75

240.00

252.00

Kerala

138.75

145.50

153.00

160.50

168.75

Madhya Pradesh

657.75

690.75

725.25

762.00

799.50

Maharashtra

1112.25

1167.75

1226.25

1287.75

1352.25

Manipur

17.10

18.00

18.90

19.80

20.70

Meghalaya

21.60

22.50

24.30

25.20

26.10

Mizoram

15.30

16.20

17.10

18.00

18.00

Nagaland

9.00

9.00

9.90

9.90

10.80

Odisha

560.25

588.75

618.00

648.75

681.75

Punjab

292.50

306.75

322.50

338.25

355.50

Rajasthan

827.25

868.50

912.00

957.75

1005.00

Sikkim

27.90

29.70

30.60

32.40

34.20

Tamil Nadu

509.25

534.75

561.00

589.50

618.75

Telangana

205.50

216.00

226.50

237.75

249.75

Tripura

27.90

29.70

30.60

32.40

34.20

Uttar Pradesh

506.25

531.75

558.00

585.75

615.00

Uttarakhand

189.00

198.00

207.90

218.70

229.50

West Bengal

387.00

406.50

426.75

448.50

471.00

TOTAL

8512.50

8938.20

9382.80

9852.15

10343.85

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@Krishi Jagran Media Group
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Jalyukt Shivar Switch from Soyabean, Cotton to Sugarcane Cultivation203162018-08-21T08:08:49ZKJ Staff With an assured supply of water, an outcome of the Jalyukt Shivar project, the farmers in the village are increasingly shifting to sugarcane cultivation. A canal has given a new lease of life to the dry fields at Takalgaon village, which has a population of 1,869 people, in Pathri taluka of Parbhani district.
A year ago, the villagers voluntarily came forward to deepen and widen the 1.5 km canal, which was without a drop of water. They also contributed Rs 5 lakh for the Jalyukt Shivar project. The village, which used to survive on water tankers, now boasts surplus water because of the government’s flagship project Jalyukt Shivar across the Marathwada region. Out of 25,000 drought-hit villages, 16,000 have become water reliant.

Jalyukt Shivar Switch from Soyabean, Cotton to Sugarcane Cultivation

NEWS

With an assured supply of water, an outcome of the Jalyukt Shivar project, the farmers in the village are increasingly shifting to sugarcane cultivation. A canal has given a new lease of life to the dry fields at Takalgaon village, which has a population of 1,869 people, in Pathri taluka of Parbhani district.

A year ago, the villagers voluntarily came forward to deepen and widen the 1.5 km canal, which was without a drop of water. They also contributed Rs 5 lakh for the Jalyukt Shivar project. The village, which used to survive on water tankers, now boasts surplus water because of the government’s flagship project Jalyukt Shivar across the Marathwada region. Out of 25,000 drought-hit villages, 16,000 have become water reliant.

Earlier, traditional crops in the drought-hit village has always been soyabean, cotton and tur — crops which require less water. But now, Takalgaon is not an exceptional case of farmers setting aside a part of their agriculture land for sugarcane cultivation. Across all the eight districts of Aurangabad, Nanded, Parbhani, Beed, Latur, Osmanabd, Hingoli and Jalna, covering the entire Marathawda region, the farmers have diverted partly to sugarcane cultivation. The unanimous explanation that came from farmers was that sugar cane cultivation was being taken up due to water availability. Secondly, being a cash crop, it is less prone to pest attack unlike cotton and soyabean.

Sarpanch Vaijanath Mahipal, said, “Of the total 1,500 hectares of agricultural land, almost 300 to 350 hectares will be under sugar cane cultivation.” The presence of surplus water in the village, which was reeling under severe drought conditions till last two years, has made farmers experiment with more lucrative crops.

Ashok Manchakrao Deshmukh, a farmer from Takri-Kumbhakarna village of Parbhani district, said: “We have always cultivated soyabean and cotton. But last year, pink bollworm ruined the cotton fields. The farmers this year have taken extra precaution to fight the pest attack, but there apprehensions are still there.”

In the state, sugarcane cultivation is confined to 9.5 to 10 lakh hectares of land. The maximum sugarcane cultivation is in western Maharashtra. At Takri-Kumbhakarna, farmers revealed a major water conservation work was underway. At the entrance of the village, adjoining a temple, is a bill board giving details of the project. The villagers hope the completion of the project will bring greater water security in the village.

The diversification of farmers to sugarcane has alarmed the government. Sources in water conservation and agriculture ministry said, “The purpose of Jalyukt Shivar was to mitigate drought. If farmers shift to sugarcane, which is a higher water intensive crop, it would again lead to water crisis in the region.”

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@Krishi Jagran Media Group
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Tomato which becomes more Tasty under Stress203212018-08-23T05:08:14ZKJ Staff Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose is one of the most prominent first Indian scientists who proved by experimentation that both animals and plants share much in common. He demonstrated that plants are also sensitive to heat, cold, light, noise and various other external stimuli. Bose contrived a very sophisticated instrument called the crescograph, which could record and observe plants minute responses to external stimulants.

Tomato which becomes more Tasty under Stress

NEWS

Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose is one of the most prominent first Indian scientists who proved by experimentation that both animals and plants share much in common. He demonstrated that plants are also sensitive to heat, cold, light, noise and various other external stimuli. Bose contrived a very sophisticated instrument called the crescograph, which could record and observe plants minute responses to external stimulants. It was capable of magnifying the motion of plant tissues to about 10,000 times of their actual size and, in doing so, found many similarities between plants and other living organisms.

Similarly the researchers at The Izmir Technology Institute Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics in Turkey has developed a tomato variety that can actually become more tasty when faced with stress conditions, such as drought or salt. The productivity of this particular variety is observed to be 50 percent more as well.

The presence of adverse environmental factors like extreme temperatures, salinity or drought cause definite biochemical and physiological consequences. Mostly, these are the changes in the metabolic pathways, the expression of stress-inducible genes or the accumulation of low-molecular compounds that play a crucial role in maintaining the plasticity of reactions. The biotechnological methods used to modify tomato to produce “upgraded” plants are based on introgression of several genes coding enzymes known to mitigate stress or genes contributing to signalling and diverse regulatory pathways.

Tomato is one of the most often cultivated vegetable species worldwide. Due to the anti-oxidative and anti-cancer properties of lycopene, tomato consumption as well as production is still increasing. However, its productivity is impaired by a wide range of abiotic stresses, and the establishment of stress-tolerant crops is a key challenge for agricultural biotechnology. Until now, a few genetic approaches have been used to achieve stress tolerance in cultivated tomato plants. Such achievements are based on current knowledge concerning plant adaptation.

Turkish growers will have access to this crop in 3 years when the trademark process is finalized. Researchers added that this development will contribute significantly to the Turkish economy.

This variety was developed as a response to the increasing salt levels in production fields in Turkey, as a result of the increasing levels of irrigation and fertilization. That’s why researchers are started to developing products which can with stand these issues.

Overwatering and over fertilization also causes a loss of taste in tomatoes but this variety is producing chemicals to protect itself against stress conditions, which enhances the taste of the tomato. Normally 12 tons of tomatoes are harvested on average per 10,000 square feet, whereas 17 tons of this new variety can be harvested per 10,000 square feet.

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@Krishi Jagran Media Group
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AGRITECHNICA ASIA and Horti ASIA , Thailand - A curtain raiser203362018-06-24T12:06:39ZKJ Staff Krishi Jagran is official media partner at Agritechnica Asia 2018 and Hortiasia 2018 took place on 20th August at 9:30-11:30 hrs in front of Hall EH98, Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre, Bangkok.

AGRITECHNICA ASIA and Horti ASIA , Thailand - A curtain raiser

NEWS

Krishi Jagran is official media partner at Agritechnica Asia 2018 and Hortiasia 2018 took place on 20thAugust at 9:30-11:30 hrs in front of Hall EH98, Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre, Bangkok.

AGRITECHNICA ASIA and Horti ASIA 2018 is the home for innovation and technology, building a sustainable future for Asian farmers and growers. For the next three days, the agriculture industry gathers in Bangkok to accelerate growth in Southeast Asia. Standing for innovation, people and technology, both trade fairs and international conferences show the future of crop production in open field and closed cultivation. Global challenges addressed by the United Nations drive the industry the direction of new solutions while respecting the environmental footprints and food safety.

While Horti ASIA showcases smart horticulture technology for all types of growers, AGRITECHNICA ASIA is dedicated to mechanizing new generation farms while tackling the issues of urbanization, productivity and sustainability. About 300 leading companies from 29 countries as well as seven country pavilions from China, Finland, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the Netherlands present their latest technology in 11,000 square meters. An expected 10,000 international innovators and visionaries are invited to contribute and apply innovations in their farm community or country, enabling others to perform better. Mr. Ton Otten, Managing Director of VNU Exhibitions Asia Pacific Co., Ltd. stated, “both trade shows are dedicated to contribute to building a sustainable future in agriculture. With the upcoming challenges, the industry must act unified and perform on future standards. Southeast Asia is set to be the food basket of the world.”

As official co-host of AGRITECHNICA ASIA and Horti ASIA, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, opened the leading agricultural and horticultural trade fairs for Southeast Asia. “With the support of many government agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, i.e. the Department of Agricultural Extension (DOAE), Department of Agriculture (DOA) and Cooperatives Promotion Department (CPD), we firmly believe that our decision to co-host AGRITECHNICA ASIA and Horti ASIA 2018 will significantly boost the development of Thai agriculture. In order to achieve our goal to become the hub of agricultural production in Southeast Asia and reach global quality demands, this event is a great opportunity for farmers and growers in the region. Farmers can learn from international technology and service providers how to increase efficiency and yield.”

The Director General of the Department of Agricultural Extension, Mr. SomchaiCharnnarongkul, emphasized the importance of AGRITECHNICA ASIA and Horti ASIA as a platform for knowledge sharing and smart technology: “It is our goal that all farmers become smart farmers applying innovations and smart technology, especially with regard to farm labour shortages. Platforms for knowledge sharing and innovations like AGRITECHNICA ASIA and Horti ASIA are important instruments to reach this goal. Thus, we are very pleased to be the co-host of this exhibition.” The Department of Agricultural Extension invited more than 1,000 Thai young smart farmers, leaders of agricultural learning centers, cooperatives and government officials from all 77 provinces. In guided tours through AGRITECHNICA ASIA and Horti ASIA, farmers will see solutions for increasing yield and efficiency in every stage of the agricultural value chain.

AGRITECHNICA ASIA emphasize on agricultural engineering solutions that are both relevant and important to the development of agriculture in the Asian markets. Mechanization through modern machinery will increase significantly in the next decade mainly due to the growing labor shortages, more competition and therefore the requirement to reduce production costs.

Under the terms of the joint venture, the DLG – German Agricultural Society, organizer of AGRITECHNICA in Hanover, Germany, and Dutch-Thai exhibition organizer VNU Exhibitions Asia Pacific, organizer of VIV Asia and Horti Asia in Bangkok, will collaborate to establish one of the most powerful joint ventures in the agricultural exhibition industry.

As government agencies have provided support from the very first editions of AGRITECHNICA ASIA and Horti ASIA, Ms. KanokpornDamronkul – the director of the exhibition department at the Thailand Convention and Exhibtion Bureau (TCEB) – stated, “TCEB’s support campaign “Connect Businesses” and “Exhibiz in Market” for Horti ASIA and AGRITECHNICA ASIA aims to boost trade and business matching at the region’s largest trade exhibition for horticulture. TCEB’s support reflects the bureau’s policy to use trade shows to drive the Thailand 4.0 policy of the government as these two trade shows are involved in the development and upgrade of the agricultural sector and food processing industry, which is one of the 10 S-Curve industries in the Thailand 4.0 policy. The bureau also believes that Thailand is the region’s most suitable destination for business success in agricultural and food processing industries because Thailand is one the world’s leading exporters in these two sectors, and with the country strategically located in the heartland of Southeast Asia, it makes it a perfect platform to tap into the emerging economies of the region.”

Mr. Peter Grothues, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of DLG International GmbH (German Agricultural Society) referred to the comprehensive conference program of the twin events. “This year, AGRITECHNICA ASIA will launch the first ‘Agrifuture’forum. It will be the stage for experts from all over the world to share their best practices, techniques on drone technology and precision farming, and presentations on models about sharing agricultural machinery. Seminars and panel discussions like `Farming goes Digital – Ways to Get Agriculture Smart and Digital´, `Precision Farming in Rice Production´ and `One for All, All for One’ and ‘Success through Joint Machinery Use´ will address up-to-date topics relevant for the agriculture industry in Asia-Pacific.” Another highlight of the conference program is the world-class international forum on `Horticultural Product Quality´, outlining the Southeast Asia challenges on fresh produce quality during the post-harvest supply chain, organized by the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) on the 22nd of August. In the following days, growers of fruit and vegetables will learn from researchers and exhibitors to implement recent postharvest technologies that optimize product quality from farms to consumers.

With the launch of Systems & Components Asia, MaschioGaspardo and DLG will organize a special demonstration on basic maintenance, demonstrating the correct use and maintenance of soil implements and farm operations. Dr. Werner Kloos, Deputy Director General of the Department of Agriculture of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Germany, confirmed the importance of this topic: “it is not only about buying the appropriate machines, but also about subsequent training, handling and maintenance.” Farmers and dealers can see multimedia demonstrations on each trade fair day.

Having the objective to meet colleagues and find the latest technology, over 500 hosted industry leaders such as Satra, TH Milk, Greenfields, VINAFRUIT and MitrPhol have confirmed their visit.

“VINAFRUIT's interest is to help Vietnamese growers and traders to export more Vietnamese fruit to other countries,” said Mr. Dinh Van Houng, Chairman of VINAFRUIT. “Our growers attend the regional trade fair Horti ASIA to learn more about global conferences, industry leaders sharing expertise with our growers and meeting global standards. We also learn from other fellow growers from other countries. Vietnamese growers feel welcome at Horti ASIA in Bangkok, meeting the entire industry efficiently."

Dr. Chris Aurand, Sr. Expert of MitrPhol Innovation & Research Center, sees the trade fairs as ideal platforms to get to know and connect with international partners. “MitrPhol Research & Development Institute has been working with AGRITECHNICA ASIA and Horti ASIA for the last six months. AGRITECHNICA ASIA has worked closely with us to determine topics of interest for our R&D program and had a key role in introducing MitrPhol to companies with innovative solutions for our research projects. We have been connected to multiple technology providers that we would otherwise not have known about. MitrPhol is planning to continue our fruitful relationship with Agritechnica Asia into the future.”

AGRITECHNICA ASIA and Horti ASIA are jointly organized by DLG International GmbH (German Agricultural Society) and VNU Exhibitions Asia Pacific Co., Ltd. The official co-hosts are the Thai Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, the Department of Agricultural Extension (DOAE) and the Department of Agriculture (DOA). The trade fair is supported by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB).

The unique features of this year’s event are as follows:

Farming technology from 29 countries

7 country pavilions: China, Finland, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the Netherlands

138 speakers from 20 countries and 52 organizations

Agrifuture Forum and DLG Forum: Best Practices in agriculture and horticulture

Seminar on Precision Farming in Rice Production by the International Rice and Research Institute (IRRI)

World-class researchers for the Horticulture Forum from the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS)

Panel Discussion on Regional Trade and Investment of Agricultural Machinery by the Regional Council of Agricultural Machinery Associations in Asia and the Pacific (ReCAMA)

Follow our Fanpage, Twitter, Linkedin and Line Official @agritechnicaasia and @hortiasia

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@Krishi Jagran Media Group
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Bangkok unleashes 3 day of tech & digital agri show203442018-25-24T01:25:23ZKJ Staff Bangkok, Thailand, 22 August 2018 – As they say it, AGRITECHNICA ASIA and Horti ASIA 2018 is the home for innovation and technology, building a sustainable future for Asian farmers and growers, which was obvious from the visitors list who came from all the globe. For the three days, the agriculture industry gathers in Bangkok to accelerate growth in Southeast Asia.

Bangkok unleashes 3 day of tech & digital agri show

NEWS

Bangkok, Thailand, 22 August 2018 – As they say it, AGRITECHNICA ASIA and Horti ASIA 2018 is the home for innovation and technology, building a sustainable future for Asian farmers and growers, which was obvious from the visitors list who came from all the globe. For the three days, the agriculture industry gathers in Bangkok to accelerate growth in Southeast Asia. Standing for innovation, people and technology, both trade fairs and international conferences show the future of crop production in open field and closed cultivation. Global challenges addressed by the United Nations drive the industry in the direction of new solutions while respecting the environmental footprint and food safety.

The 3 day show started on August 22 and it comes to end on August 24, 2018 taking place in the BITEC centre in Bangkok, Thailand.

While Horti ASIA showcases smart horticulture technology for all types of growers, AGRITECHNICA ASIA is dedicated to mechanizing new generation farms while tackling the issues of urbanization, productivity and sustainability. About 300 leading companies from 29 countries as well as seven country pavilions from China, Finland, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the Netherlands present their latest technology in 11,000 square meters. An expected 10,000 international innovators and visionaries are invited to contribute and apply innovations in their farm community or country, enabling others to perform better. Mr. Ton Otten, Managing Director of VNU Exhibitions Asia Pacific Co., Ltd. stated, “both trade shows are dedicated to contribute to building a sustainable future in agriculture. With the upcoming challenges, the industry must act unified and perform on future standards. Southeast Asia is set to be the food basket of the world.”

As official co-host of AGRITECHNICA ASIA and Horti ASIA, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, opened the leading agricultural and horticultural trade fairs for Southeast Asia. “With the support of many government agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, i.e. the Department of Agricultural Extension (DOAE), Department of Agriculture (DOA) and Cooperatives Promotion Department (CPD), we firmly believe that our decision to co-host AGRITECHNICA ASIA and Horti ASIA 2018 will significantly boost the development of Thai agriculture. In order to achieve our goal to become the hub of agricultural production in Southeast Asia and reach global quality demands, this event is a great opportunity for farmers and growers in the region. Farmers can learn from international technology and service providers how to increase efficiency and yield.”

The Director General of the Department of Agricultural Extension, Mr. Somchai Charnnarongkul, emphasized the importance of AGRITECHNICA ASIA and Horti ASIA as a platform for knowledge sharing and smart technology: “It is our goal that all farmers become smart farmers applying innovations and smart technology, especially with regard to farm labour shortages. Platforms for knowledge sharing and innovations like AGRITECHNICA ASIA and Horti ASIA are important instruments to reach this goal. Thus, we are very pleased to be the co-host of this exhibition.”

The Thai government agencies have provided support from the very first editions of AGRITECHNICA ASIA and Horti ASIA, Ms. Kanokporn Damronkul – the director of the exhibition department at the Thailand Convention and Exhibtion Bureau (TCEB) – stated, “TCEB’s support campaign “Connect Businesses” and “Exhibiz in Market” for Horti ASIA and AGRITECHNICA ASIA aims to boost trade and business matching at the region’s largest trade exhibition for horticulture.

Mr. Peter Grothues, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of DLG International GmbH (German Agricultural Society) referred to the comprehensive conference program of the twin events. “This year, AGRITECHNICA ASIA will launch the first ‘Agrifuture’ forum. It will be the stage for experts from all over the world to share their best practices, techniques on drone technology and precision farming, and presentations on models about sharing agricultural machinery. “

AGRITECHNICA ASIA and Horti ASIA are jointly organized by DLG International GmbH (German Agricultural Society) and VNU Exhibitions Asia Pacific Co., Ltd. The official co-hosts are the Thai Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, the Department of Agricultural Extension (DOAE) and the Department of Agriculture (DOA). The trade fair is supported by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB).

The unique features of this year’s event are as follows:

Farming technology from 29 countries

7 country pavilions: China, Finland, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the Netherlands

138 speakers from 20 countries and 52 organizations

Agrifuture Forum and DLG Forum: Best Practices in agriculture and horticulture

Seminar on Precision Farming in Rice Production by the International Rice and Research Institute (IRRI)

World-class researchers for the Horticulture Forum from the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS)

Panel Discussion on Regional Trade and Investment of Agricultural Machinery by the Regional Council of Agricultural Machinery Associations in Asia and the Pacific (ReCAMA)

Follow our Fanpage, Twitter, Linkedin and Line Official @agritechnicaasia and @hortiasia

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@Krishi Jagran Media Group
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Bihar Agriculture Department to Disburse Additional Subsidy through Axis Bank203482018-53-24T01:53:52ZKJ Staff The agriculture department aims to spend Rs 70 crore under this head in the 2018-19 fiscal. It expects nearly 11,000 farmers to avail the scheme's benefits. The Bihar government is going to give additional subsidy to farmers over what they are entitled to from the Centre to promote micro-irrigation methods like drip and sprinkler irrigation.

NEWS

The agriculture department aims to spend Rs 70 crore under this head in the 2018-19 fiscal. It expects nearly 11,000 farmers to avail the scheme's benefits. The Bihar government is going to give additional subsidy to farmers over what they are entitled to from the Centre to promote micro-irrigation methods like drip and sprinkler irrigation.

Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (micro irrigation) - talks of giving 55 percent subsidy to marginal farmers (those having land holding of less than one hectare) and 45 percent to those having land holdings over one hectare.

"The state government has decided to give 75 percent subsidy all the farmers irrespective of their land holdings. The additional subsidy amount will be provided by the state," an agriculture department official informed.

To ensure complete transparency in disbursement of the subsidy amount the department signed a memorandum of understanding with Axis Bank for direct benefit transfer.

According to the plan, farmers would have to register online through the official website of the agriculture department ( http://krishi.bih.nic.in) by providing the necessary details. Then, the farmers would apply online for the subsidy to set up micro-irrigation facilities. Their claim will be checked locally by the department and after processing at the district level, the subsidy will be forwarded to the state headquarters for subsidy payment.

"At each level of verification, a timeframe has been fixed for quick delivery of the subsidy," the official said. The farmers would have to spend 25 percent of the project cost from their pockets. But a selected agency from the agriculture department will set up the facility in the fields and after completion, the subsidy amount will be transferred to the selected agency's account.

"A software is being developed for this purpose and farmers' registration process will start in two months," said the official, adding that drip and sprinkler irrigation methods will not only help save 60 percent of the water used now and reduce fertilizer consumption by about 25 per cent, but also enhance the productivity of crops by about 25 percent.

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@Krishi Jagran Media Group
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NutriMa : The Hi-way to Anytime Nutrition203542018-04-24T05:04:52ZKJ Staff With science as the base and innovation as the route, NutriPlanet aims to be a path setting R&D driven organization that cares for the planet and nurture lives by changing the outlook of foods beyond hunger and bringing nutrition as the driving force for functional foods* for health that is affordable and environmentally sustainable.

NutriMa : The Hi-way to Anytime Nutrition

NEWS

With science as the base and innovation as the route, NutriPlanet aims to be a path setting R&D driven organization that cares for the planet and nurture lives by changing the outlook of foods beyond hunger and bringing nutrition as the driving force for functional foods* for health that is affordable and environmentally sustainable.

Creating high value functional foods and nutrition products through scientific interventions and innovative research path for healthy living in a sustainable manner that is affordable in cost and bio-compatible for body and environment.

Ma, the mother takes care of our health by nurturing us in a holistic way, NurtriMa is a Mission that delivers nutrition anytime you need, in a way you really need, and in a form you will love.

So Blending innovation, science, and a mother`s affection, the company provided 24x7 nutrition bar products, NutriMa.

As Chia is a gluten free whole grain, Chia provides omega-3 essential fatty acids (ALA), which cannot be synthesized by the body. Chia is also rich in dietary fibre, protein, and antioxidants that helps our digestive system. Chia Nutrition Bar is the rich Omega source for the human beings. Each bar provides an unmatched 1.6 g of omega-3 (ALA) essential fatty acids per serving along with other nutritients, such as protein and prebiotic fibre, iron, calcium, other minerals and antioxidants in two natural flavours that is blueberries and blackcurrants.

They are high in vitamin and minerals, including calcium, potassium, and magnesium. These nutrients help in reducing chronic diseases, such as heart diseases, high blood sugar, & cholesterol.

Quinoa is aLlow Glycaemic Index (GI) whole grain that provides gluten free complete protein with 8 essential amino acids are important for functioning of most skeletal tissues, muscles, cells and organs but not synthesized. They help make the proteins that are important for body growth, tissues repair, food assimilation and to perform many essential biological processes in our body. Quinoa is also high in fibre, antioxidants and other vitamins and several essential micronutrients required for efficient body functioning.

The company has come out with the Quinoa Nutrition Bar, which provides complete protein with 8 essential aminoacids for the human body. Quinoa whole grains in the bar are innovatively processed to retain all their nutritional elements. It has unique blend of puffed quinoa with quinoa flakes along with a fibre-rich multi-grain matrix of oats, jowar flakes and antioxidants in two natural flavours, blueberries and blackcurrants.

So, it is great Wow! The Healthway through tasteful nutrition!

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@Krishi Jagran Media Group
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Underground Irrigation Tech Helps Tunisian Farmers Counter Drought203582018-40-24T05:40:14ZKJ Staff Honb`le Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given the Agrimantra More Crop per Drop. It is clearly shows the dependence of water in the farming. Drip irrigation is also the answer to the need of the hour. Tunisia Chahbani Technologies has developed the diffuser for the irrigating trees, vegetables and fruit crops.

Underground Irrigation Tech Helps Tunisian Farmers Counter Drought

NEWS

Honb`le Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given the Agrimantra More Crop per Drop. It is clearly shows the dependence of water in the farming. Drip irrigation is also the answer to the need of the hour. Tunisia Chahbani Technologies has developed the diffuser for the irrigating trees, vegetables and fruit crops.

An underground irrigation technology has helped 100 farmers in Tunisia to continue farming in times of droughts. Dubbed the Buried Diffuser, the technology utilizes 2 times less irrigation water than drip irrigation, while raising yields 3 to 5 times more; and ensuring water is not lost through evaporation.

Developed by Chahbani Technologies of Tunisia, the buried diffuser technology comes in three forms for use in irrigating trees, vegetables, and container plants. In Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Greece, California, and France, it’s being used to irrigate trees like olive, date palm, fig citrus, pistachio, almond, peach, and grape, plus vegetables, according to the buried diffuser innovator, and founder of Chahbani Technologies, Dr Bellachheb Chahbani.

The buried diffuser typically consists of a 6 millimeter diameter flexible tube connected to a 16 to 20 millimeter diameter polyethylene high-density (PEHD) pipe, connected to the diffusing material, at the bottom. The whole buried diffuser set up is then buried in holes below the topographic soil surface, next to the roots of trees and plants, needing irrigation. Only the distribution water pipe that connects to the main reservoir and the flexible tube is visible on the ground.

For trees when buried, its positioned 50 to 70 centimeters from the tree axis, while for shrubs, and medicinal or ornamental herbs its installed 20 centimeters away from the plant axis. Size dictates the purpose of each buried diffuser, those for irrigating trees, herbs, and plants have different sizes. For herbs, and medicinal and ornamental shrubs, diffusers are placed in holes 20 to 40 centimeters deep, while for trees they are typically placed 50 to 60 centimeters into the soil.

According to Dr Chahbani buried diffusers can be added to growing trees and plants or those freshly planted. Where they are added to already growing trees, they are placed on holes on the edge of the canopy of the tree or shrub, where roots spread out. A hole for a shrub or tree can be circular or squared but with a depth of 60 centimeters. The diameter of a circular hole ranges from 35 to 40 centimeters, while the dimensions of the square hole, are 40 by 50 centimeters.

The buried diffuser is placed between trees spaced 3 meters apart, but if the space exceeds 4 meters, two diffusers are required, and also if the canopy diameter is less than 2 meters. If the tree canopy diameter is between 2 to 4 meters, 3 diffusers are required.

To irrigate, water comes from the reservoir through a 16 to 20 millimeter distribution pipe into the flexible tube with a regulator on it. The regulator allows water to flow at rates 2, 4, and 8 liters per hour. Through the PEHD pipe, the regulated water is moved to the diffusing material, made of very porous plastic net, with 5 millimeter siliceous granulate. The water gets into these granulates and circulates through the macro pores, and infiltrates into the roots in soil below and along, the diffuser surface.

By using the buried diffuser technology, farmers can reduce their on farm production costs by up to 30 percent. Unlike most irrigation methods where energy is needed to pump water, this technology utilizes gravity and conventional water pressure to irrigate plants and trees.

As a result farmers save costs on energy for irrigating their trees, shrubs, herbs, and vegetables. After being installed, one buried diffuser can last for over 30 years without requiring maintenance.

Irrigation is the largest water consumer in Tunisia, using 80 percent of the country’s water resources according to the agriculture ministry. This amount of water helps produce 30 to 40 percent of the country’s overall agricultural production though the country is water scarce.

CNH Industrial Capital Launches Retail Financial Services in India

INDUSTRY NEWS

CNH Industrial Capital, the financial services divisionof CNH IndustrialN.V. (NYSE: CNHI / MI: CNHI),launched its retail finance offering for India under CNH Industrial Capital (India) Private Limited at an event held in the national capital region attended by brand representatives of CNH Industrial Capital, New Holland Agriculture and CASE Construction Equipment as well as dealers selected from the CNH Industrial sales network in India.

CNH Industrial Capital is a global financial services player in the Agricultural andConstruction Equipment and Commercial Vehicles finance businesses and supports the CNH Industrial brands’ customers and dealers with customized solutions by offering a full range of retail financing, leases, rental programs and insurance products.

CNH Industrial Capital (India) Private Limited will dedicateits field based financial specialists called “Capital Mitras”to New Holland Agriculture and CASEdealerships across the country to interact with customers to understand their financing needs and offer customized financial solutions to meet their requirementsmaking use of a digital platform for a faster turnaround time, transparency and real-time tracking.

Commenting on the launch of CNH Industrial Capital (India) Private Limited’sretail finance services in India,Mr. Raunak Varma, Country Manager, CNH Industrial India, said,“Our new retail finance arm will enhance CNH Industrial’s value proposition in India and support our dealers and end customers with tailor made finance offering. What sets CNH Industrial Capital apart is its in-depth understanding of the markets and customers gathered over more than 60 years of working with users of agricultural and construction equipment and commercial vehicles, across the globe.”

Mr. Daniel McTaggart, Head of Financial Services, CNH Industrial APAC, said,“India is one of the most exciting opportunities for CNH Industrial. Both agriculture and construction equipment sectors are experiencing consistent growth,and with the launch of CNH Industrial Capital (India) Private Limited’s retail operations, we are looking forward to offering competive retail finance solutions to customers of New Holland Agricuture, Case IH and CASEConstruction Equipment in India.”

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@Krishi Jagran Media Group
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Second day of Krishi India 2018 expo/Wellness India 2018203672018-10-24T06:10:46ZKJ Staff Krishi Jagran as the media partner at the show has brought informations and knowledge to benefit the farmers and agriculture peoples. Glimpses from the second day were not unnoticed.

Second day of Krishi India 2018 expo/Wellness India 2018

NEWS

Krishi Jagran as the media partner at the show has brought informations and knowledge to benefit the farmers and agriculture peoples. Glimpses from the second day were not unnoticed.

With the focus now being on the ‘profitability aspect’ rather than the ‘productivity aspect’ of farming to achieve the 2022 target of doubling farmers’ incomes, the session on ‘Processing and Value Addition of Farm Produce’ explored and analysed how farmers could be integrated into modern value chains that can raise their incomes and also minimise the risks. Dr. J.P. Mishra, Adviser (Agri), NitiAayog, explained that there exist two kinds of risks - production risk and price risk, adding that Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana covers the production risk. Pointing out that India has the problem of plenty with the amount of food being produced, Dr. Mishra admitted, “Post production activity in India has issues for which a larger ecosystem needs to be created.” He added that post harvest value addition has been debated at the level of the Prime Minister.

A shift from agriculture to agribusiness is being viewed as an essential pathway to revitalise Indian agriculture and improve farmers’ livelihoods. Dr Shruti Sethi, senior scientist, PHT, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), opined that value can be added by the manufacturer through branding and marketing.

The Modi Government is making considerable efforts to strengthen the current cooperative structure. There is a huge network of cooperatives in the country, the largest in the world. With around 8,33,560 cooperatives in existence, 98% villages are covered by these cooperatives, and farmers have easy access to them. Cooperatives are a formidable force for farmers, with all types of cooperatives eligible for National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) assistance. Defining the concept of farmer producer organizations Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), Ms Deepa Srivastava, Chief Director, NCDC, said, “The concept of FPOs consists of collectivization of producers especially small and marginal farmers to forming an effective alliance to collectively address the many challenges of agriculture such as improved access to investment, technology, inputs and markets.”

Ms. Nora Galway, Agriculture Counselor, Australian High Commission, highlighted how digital technology was fundamentally changing agriculture in Australia, where decisions are based on objective data, adding, “It would be nice to see technology transfer in agriculture from Australia to India.

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@Krishi Jagran Media Group
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Fish Farming can Earn you Rs.1.75 lacs by Investment of Rs.25K Annually203712018-20-24T06:20:09ZKJ Staff On an average he earns Rs 1.75 lakh from it by incurring an annual expenditure of Rs 25,000 only. The net profit of Rs 1.5 lakh from 2 acres of land is about 50 percent more than what the farmers who cultivate wheat and paddy crops get. Realising that traditional farm practices of wheat-paddy rotation are no more profitable after calculating the cost inputs, Gurbachan Singh, a small farmer of Jafarwala village in the district having a land holding of just 4 acres, started fish farming on 2 acres by developing it into a pond a few years back.

Fish Farming can Earn you Rs.1.75 lacs by Investment of Rs.25K Annually

SUCCESS STORY

On an average he earns Rs 1.75 lakh from it by incurring an annual expenditure of Rs 25,000 only. The net profit of Rs 1.5 lakh from 2 acres of land is about 50 percent more than what the farmers who cultivate wheat and paddy crops get. Realising that traditional farm practices of wheat-paddy rotation are no more profitable after calculating the cost inputs, Gurbachan Singh, a small farmer of Jafarwala village in the district having a land holding of just 4 acres, started fish farming on 2 acres by developing it into a pond a few years back.

“I heard a radio programme on fish farming about 10 years ago and made up my mind to leave the traditional farming practices and go for something innovative. I contacted the district Fishery Department in Moga city. The fishery officials provided me five-day training on fish farming,” Gurbachan Singh further added.

Encouraged by the earning from his 2-acre fish pond, he took 2.5 acres at nearby Kot Sadar Khan village on lease and also developed it into a pond for fish farming. He earns an income of more than Rs 2 lakh from it. Side by side, he also took up piggery and dairy farming. He started using dung of cattle and pig excreta as feed for the fish thereby lowering his input cost in fish farming. With the earning from fish farming, he has also bought a Combine harvester and fodder machines. He also rents out Combine harvester to the nearby farmers during the harvesting season. Now, he is also planning to produce fish seed and sell them to young farmers who desire to adopt fish farming to diversify their agro-practices.

Gurbachan Singh says he wants to pass his experiences in fish farming to younger generation of farmers. “School and college students often visit my farm. It gives me pleasure to pass on my knowledge to them,” he said. He urges the young farmers to cultivate a passion for farming practices. “Once there is a passion to grow something the rest will automatically follow,” he says while adding that the government needs to support the youth and frame policies to increase the subsidies for allied farming practices. His hard work and innovative skills have also been acknowledged by his village people. He was elected sarpanch of the village in the last elections.

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@Krishi Jagran Media Group
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Rural Youths to Adopt Camel Dairying203752018-30-24T06:30:36ZKJ Staff Two days Farmer-Scientist interaction meets and animal health camps were organized by the National Research Centre on Camel, Bikaner under the Tribal Sub Plan at Isra and Mandwara villages in Sirohi, Rajasthan on 17 and 18 August 2018.

Rural Youths to Adopt Camel Dairying

NEWS

wo days Farmer-Scientist interaction meets and animal health camps were organized by the National Research Centre on Camel, Bikaner under the Tribal Sub Plan at Isra and Mandwara villages in Sirohi, Rajasthan on 17 and 18 August 2018.

While interacting with the camel herders, Dr. A.K. Vashishth, ADG & Nodal Officer,TSP, ICAR said that for establishing camel milk trade, famers should make collective efforts by forming self-help groups at different Camel milk collection points. He appreciated the efforts of ICAR-NRCC in promoting Camel farmers to form a co-operative society “Unt Palak Seva Samiti, Sarahi” for trading of camel milk. He emphasized that the rates of Camel milk need be decided based on its therapeutic value.

Shri Devender Kumar, Director (Finance), ICAR while describing the importance of farmer producer organizations urged the camel herders to form cooperative societies for realizing higher economic benefits. This will also encourage the rural youths to adopt camel dairying as a vocation by which the Camel conservation efforts will be boosted.

Dr. N.V. Patil, Director, ICAR-NRCC while appreciating the efforts of the local camel herders for trading camel milk, urged to explore the markets located at different places in India, having a good rail and road connectivity. He appreciated the efforts of Shri Devi Lal who is trading freeze-dried camel milk powder and asked him to share his experience for rural youths to adopt this as a business model.

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@Krishi Jagran Media Group
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Harvest 38 litres of Water From Air by a Portable Device213332018-46-27T04:46:04ZKJ Staff In view of the scarcity of water, which is life line of the lives of species and the agriculture. We cannot produce water but can conserve the same. Rain water harvesting is one of the solutions. The University of Akron in Ohio has developed the gadget to access the fresh, clean drinking water from the air itself. The prototype developed by the scientists can harvest the water in the tune of 10 gallons per hour. By this development the future problem of the humanity seems to be has been solved. It is the pressing issues of the future from where to get the water!
The amount of water vapor present in the atmosphere is referred to as humidity. In tropical regions with high relative humidity - the percentage of water vapor in the air as a function of the temperature - it's pretty easy to use devices called fog catchers to turn that water vapor into drinkable water.

Harvest 38 litres of Water From Air by a Portable Device

NEWS

n view of the scarcity of water, which is life line of the lives of species and the agriculture. We cannot produce water but can conserve the same. Rain water harvesting is one of the solutions. The University of Akron in Ohio has developed the gadget to access the fresh, clean drinking water from the air itself. The prototype developed by the scientists can harvest the water in the tune of 10 gallons per hour. By this development the future problem of the humanity seems to be has been solved. It is the pressing issues of the future from where to get the water!

The amount of water vapor present in the atmosphere is referred to as humidity. In tropical regions with high relative humidity - the percentage of water vapor in the air as a function of the temperature - it's pretty easy to use devices called fog catchers to turn that water vapor into drinkable water.

But in drier places like California or the Andes, fog catchers are rendered "ineffective," according to Wong. And, though countries like Israel have been experimenting with desalination, Wong said the process is too expensive to be deployed at scale, particularly as water shortages become more acute in poorer regions as the world warms as a result of climate change.

To develop a water harvester, the team took inspiration from both biology and history. Every human should be entitled to fresh water," Dr. Josh Wong, a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Akron, told Business Insider. "Not just the 0.1%" That notion spurred Wong - an expert in polymers - to work on a water harvester prototype that can be cheaply and effectively used in regions where water is scarce.

Many people will suffer from water shortages around the world in the coming years," Wong said. "We're hoping we can address this problem.

The atmosphere is one of the most abundant sources of water we have. Just look at your local weather forecast or the hurricane bearing down on Hawaii," Wong said. "We haven't fully explored it." Wong pointed out that indigenous communities in the Andes mountains - high altitude deserts where it rains infrequently - have used techniques to capture atmospheric water for centuries. Historically, these communities would collect dew inside pits located in the desert. In the morning, they'd collect the dew and channel it into large cisterns, providing them with fresh drinking water. The Namib Desert Beetle also served as an inspiration. These beetles, which live in some of the driest deserts on Earth, have bodies that are adapted for water collection. To drink, they simply climb up to the highest point - say, a sand dune - and point their abdomens towards the wind. The wind, which blows off the ocean and carries water particles, condenses on their bodies. They have special grooves to channel the condensation into their mouths. Wong and his team set out to "miniaturize," the process of harvesting atmospheric water using electrospun polymers.

Electrospinning can produce polymers as small as a few tens of nanometers across, which means that a huge surface area can be packed into a really small space. That makes the nanoscale-polymers super-efficient at collecting water, even in arid environments. The device, which could be powered by a lithium-ion battery, would also be able to filter water because the surface of the material would slough off any microbes or bacteria present in the water vapor.

While that may seem complicated, Wong said it's not much different than how people in the Andes, and Namib beetles collect water - it's just at a much smaller scale.

While other researchers have worked on developing water harvesters, Wong said his concept would be smaller and cheaper, and therefore the easiest to scale than other research-stage water harvester prototypes. It could take the form of a backpack, or even be placed onto a rolling train where the water could be collected and delivered to communities. He presented his findings at a meeting of the American Chemical Society earlier this week, and his team is seeking funding to develop a working prototype for the project.

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@Krishi Jagran Media Group
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Poor, Degraded Soil Hampers Paddy Growth in Punjab213262018-33-27T04:33:06ZKJ Staff The paddy cultivation in Punjab is unviable for farmers as the Punjab has been in the top of list in the production of food since the beginning of the green revolution. Now the situation has changed due to excessive use of fertilizers has rendered the soil in several districts of the state unsuitable for growing paddy. It is not the problem of depleting water table, the more pressing problem in Punjab for the paddy grower farmers is the rapidly growing soil quality, which has made paddy cultivation difficult due to soil`s poor and degradation quality.

Poor, Degraded Soil Hampers Paddy Growth in Punjab

NEWS

The paddy cultivation in Punjab is unviable for farmers as the Punjab has been in the top of list in the production of food since the beginning of the green revolution. Now the situation has changed due to excessive use of fertilizers has rendered the soil in several districts of the state unsuitable for growing paddy. It is not the problem of depleting water table, the more pressing problem in Punjab for the paddy grower farmers is the rapidly growing soil quality, which has made paddy cultivation difficult due to soil`s poor and degradation quality.

According to the latest report of the soil survey division of the department of soil and water conservation, survey carried out in Moga, Barnala, SBS Nagar, SAS Nagar, Fategarh Sahib, Patiala and Sangrur districts showed severe soil degradation due to wheat and paddy cropping pattern introduced in the state during the Green Revolution.

Due to over-exploitation and excessive use of chemical fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides, the soil has degraded, which has led to further decrease in water holding capacity of the soil and its friable and loose structure of soil. The farmers, in order to increase the yields, are pumping in more nitrogen and phosphorous into the soil, leading to further degradation. The soil is suitable for growing wheat, groundnuts, soybean and vegetables but not rice,” said an official of the soil and water conservation department. Now, all the 12,400 villages in the state will be mapped for their soil health and land use. Sources said the department will collaborate with the Nagpur-based National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning for generating land resource inventory database at village level, using GIS technology. This means the department will have complete land and soil data of each and every village for better planning and implementation of various developmental schemes.

The soil surveys are aimed at providing complete inventory of properties of soils such as texture, erosion, permeability, depth, slope and drainage, salinity, stoniness, wetness, fertility and various topographical features of specific area. These soil samples are tested for macro and micro nutrient contents at soil testing laboratory of Punjab Agriculture University,” the official said.

According to a National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development report of 2015-16, Punjab contributed nearly 29 percent rice to the central pool. More than 30 lakh hectares of area in Punjab is under paddy cultivation in the state. The state government’s plan to bring it down by over one lakh hectares to around 28 lakh hectares this year has failed. Soil survey report of 7 districts. Sangrur: Soil is alkaline and at some places, slightly to moderate sodic in nature. Not suitable for paddy cultivation. SAS Nagar, Patiala, Fategarh Sahib: Not fit for paddy. Barnala: Soil is unfit for paddy cultivation as 88 percent area has medium carbon content and 46 percent is high in phosphorus. SBS Nagar: Soil is alkaline and low in organic matter in 20 percent area, while it is high in phosphorous in 63 percent area. Moga: Medium to high potassium content. Soil has low nitrogen.

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ORGANIC FARMING: A STEP TOWARDS HEALTHY WORLD213652018-20-28T08:20:43ZKJ Staff Agriculture was practiced for thousands of years without the use of artificial chemicals. Artificial fertilizers were first created during the mid-19th century. These early fertilizers were cheap, powerful, and easy to transport in bulk. These new agricultural techniques, while beneficial in the short term, had serious longer term side effects such as soil compaction, erosion, and declines in overall soil fertility, along with health concerns about toxic chemicals entering the food supply.

ORGANIC FARMING: A STEP TOWARDS HEALTHY WORLD

NEWS

Agriculture was practiced for thousands of years without the use of artificial chemicals. Artificial fertilizers were first created during the mid-19th century. These early fertilizers were cheap, powerful, and easy to transport in bulk. These new agricultural techniques, while beneficial in the short term, had serious longer term side effects such as soil compaction, erosion, and declines in overall soil fertility, along with health concerns about toxic chemicals entering the food supply.

In India, in 2016, the northern state of Sikkim achieved its goal of converting to 100% organic farming. Other states of India, including Kerala, Mizoram, Goa, Rajasthan, and Meghalaya, have also declared their intentions to shift to fully organic cultivation. Shri Radha Mohan Singh, Union Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare Minister of India, announced on 10th February 2016 the establishment of National Organic Farming Research Institute (NOFRI) at Gangtok, Sikkim during 87th Annual General Meeting of Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

Gujarat government has decided to set up country's first university focusing organic farming. The university will exclusively focus on organic farming and research. Gujarat is most suited for organic farming as a significant portion of agricultural land in the state is rain fed. A fund of ₹10 crores has been earmarked towards the university in the annual 2016-17 budget.

What is organic farming?

It is a method of farming system which primarily aimed at cultivating the land and raising crops in such a way, as to keep the soil alive and in good health by use of organic wastes (i.e., crop, animal and farm wastes, aquatic wastes) and other biological materials along with beneficial microbes (biofertilizers) to release nutrients to crops for increased sustainable production in an ecofriendly pollution free environment.

FAO suggested that “Organic agriculture is a unique production management system which promotes and enhances agro-ecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity, and this is accomplished by using on-farm agronomic, biological and mechanical methods in exclusion of all synthetic off-farm inputs”.

Need of organic farming

With the increase in population our compulsion would be not only to stabilize agricultural production but to increase it further in sustainable manner. The scientists have realized that the ‘Green Revolution’ with high input use has reached a plateau and is now sustained with diminishing return of falling dividends. Thus, a natural balance needs to be maintained at all cost for existence of life and property. The obvious choice for that would be more relevant in the present era, when these agrochemicals which are produced from fossil fuel and are not renewable and are diminishing in availability. It may also cost heavily on our foreign exchange in future.

The key characteristics of organic farming include

Protecting the long term fertility of soils by maintaining organic matter levels, encouraging soil biological activity, and careful mechanical intervention

Providing crop nutrients indirectly using relatively insoluble nutrient sources which are made available to the plant by the action of soil micro-organisms

Nitrogen self-sufficiency through the use of legumes and biological nitrogen fixation, as well as effective recycling of organic materials including crop residues and livestock manures

The extensive management of livestock, paying full regard to their evolutionary adaptations, behavioural needs and animal welfare issues with respect to nutrition, housing, health, breeding and rearing

Careful attention to the impact of the farming system on the wider environment and the conservation of wildlife and natural habitats

Deep kumar

M.Sc. Agri., A.A.U.,

Anand, Tarank A. Vekariya

MSc. Agri., J.A.U., Junagadh

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Jharkhand Farmers of 24 Districts to visit Israel to learn Modern Agriculture Techniques213692018-34-28T08:34:25ZKJ Staff A delegation of 26 farmers from 24 districts of Jharkhand on a four-day exposure visit to Israel to learn modern agriculture techniques, was sent as per the directions of the Chief Minister Shri Raghubar Das. This is for first time in Jharkhand that any state government has sent a farmers' delegation on an exposure trip overseas.

Jharkhand Farmers of 24 Districts to visit Israel to learn Modern Agriculture Techniques

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A delegation of 26 farmers from 24 districts of Jharkhand on a four-day exposure visit to Israel to learn modern agriculture techniques, was sent as per the directions of the Chief Minister Shri Raghubar Das. This is for first time in Jharkhand that any state government has sent a farmers' delegation on an exposure trip overseas.

"We want five farmers from each district to go to Israel in a phased manner to learn new technologies in agriculture. The BJP government is committed to double the income of farmers of Jharkhand in five years, which is also my top priority," the chief minister said.

He added that Jharkhand and Israel had one thing in common. "Like Israel, our state also faces water crisis. But Israel overcame the problem by introducing drip irrigation. There are so many things to learn in Israel. On their return, these trained farmers will impart training to farmers of their locality," chief minister said, adding that Jharkhand farmers would interact with Israel farmers who form companies on their own and market agri products and get inspired.

The Chief Minister Das said he would hold a farmers' summit in November in Jharkhand where farmers, scientists and researchers from across the world would be invited. "Farmers of Jharkhand will have something special for them in the next budget," he added.

The farmers' delegation flew to Delhi from Birsa Munda Airport from where they would catch flight for Israel. They will stay in Tel Aviv.

Next Day farmers will visit Israel farms and see for themselves autonomous irrigation and hydroponic farming technology. On Second day , they will check out Metzer drip irrigation systems, visit a organic green centre that displays newest agricultural technologies in vegetables, fruits, poultry and aquaculture (farming of fish, crustaceans, molluscs).

On the following day and the day after, they would visit a food processing plant and meet Israel farmers. On August 31, they will return to Delhi.

Farmer delegates were excited. An educated farmer from Sahebganj, Neeraj Hembrom, who owns 42 acres and earns Rs 10 lakh a year as a farmer, said this exposure trip was a dream. "I am a political science graduate and I also read up on modern farming techniques and adopt them whenever I can. But, from this trip I will learn a lot, especially from live demos, and will come back to share my expertise with other neighbouring farmers," he said, conveying his gratitude to the government for this opportunity.

He said he searched for jobs after completing his graduation. "One day, my father said, agriculture is not a bad business and it's really bad that educated people look down on farming. I realised he was right." Another delegate, elderly Palamau farmer Ranjeet Kumar Singh, who owns 150 acres, but has been suffering losses and debts in agriculture due to drought, said the Israel trip was a "lifetime opportunity to learn drip irrigation". Garhwa's dairy farmer Satish Kumar Tiwari, who has an annual turnover of around Rs 25 lakh, said he wanted to "learn marketing strategy" from the trip.

In the coming months, three more delegations of farmers will visit Israel, one after Durga Puja and the next two in January and March 2019. "These progressive farmers are selected by DCs," said agriculture secretary Puja Singhal.

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Vet Varsity declares result of entrance test for Diploma course213722018-48-29T01:48:41ZKJ Staff Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University declared result of entrance test for admission to Diploma in Veterinary Science and Animal Health Technology program. The result is available on university website www.gadvasu.in.

Vet Varsity declares result of entrance test for Diploma course

NEWS

Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University declared result of entrance test for admission to Diploma in Veterinary Science and Animal Health Technology program. The result is available on university websitewww.gadvasu.in. Dr. N S Sharma, Controller of Examinations revealed that a total of 284 candidates applied for admission to this course, of which 246 (87%) candidates (236 boys and 10 girls) appeared in the test on 26thAugust at R.S. Model Senior Secondary School, Shastri Nagar, Ludhiana.

Dr. Sushil Kumar Prabhakar University Registrar informed that the first counseling for Diploma is scheduled to be held on Sept 11, 2018 in the Silver Jubilee Auditorium, University Veterinary Hospital, opposite Nanaksar Gurudwara, Ferozepur Road, Ludhiana. He revealed that test was conducted for 82 seats at Veterinary Polytechnic, Kaljharani, Bathinda and 80 seats for Baba Hira Das Ji College of Veterinary Pharmacy, Badal, Shri Muktsar Sahib.

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Indo- Thai has LOTS to Share213772018-33-29T02:33:08ZKJ Staff “CP group is like TATA to Thailand. They are present in every walk of life.” Said H.E. Mr. Chutintorn Gongsakdi. Founded in 1921 as a seed trading store for Thai farmers, the Charoen Pokphand, CP Group has grown over the years into an integrated food production, distribution and retail business.

Indo- Thai has LOTS to Share

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“CP group is like TATA to Thailand. They are present in every walk of life.” Said H.E. Mr. Chutintorn Gongsakdi. Founded in 1921 as a seed trading store for Thai farmers, the Charoen Pokphand, CP Group has grown over the years into an integrated food production, distribution and retail business. Today considered one of Thailand's largest private company and one of the world's largest conglomerates, it is headquartered in Bangkok, with interests spanning across agribusiness and food, retail and distribution, telecommunications,plastics, automotive, pharmaceutical, property and financial investments.

LOTS Wholesale Solutions, a part of the USD 50 billion Charoen Pokphand Group (“CP Group”) and a wholly owned subsidiary of Siam Makro Public Company Limited (“Siam Makro”) from Thailand launched its first store in India in July this year.

The company had announced its foray into India at the World Food India 2017 with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) worth INR 1,000 crores signed with the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.With its initial footprints in Delhi NCR, LOTS Wholesale Solutions will help generate 5,000 direct and indirect jobs over the next five years.

Tanit Chearavanont, Managing Director, LOTS Wholesale Solutionsannounced, “ Through this store, the registered members of LOTS Wholesale Solutions will enjoy the benefits of a vast assortment of high-quality food and non-food products. Fresh produce will be directly sourced from local farming communities, which will help farmers increase their income whilst reducing wastage during transportation and storage.”

Companies like CP works on a business model which helps in bringing the new technology to farmers and hencesupports in increasing the productivity. A few percentage of return is vowed to the farmers and the investments on the field are made by the company. The farmer does not need to sell his/her land, and can work with the company in a cooperative environment. Indirectly the farmer positions himself as investor. Such projects are being run in countries as China, Cambodia and 20 more.

The 3 Cs on which the company works are : Country, Community And Company. The firm believes in benefiting the country and its community and hence what is left is for the company. ” They don’t need to make a lot, because they sell a lot, which makes them capable of helping the farmers and taking the risk in a very price-hostile and vulnerable sector.” Mentions Ambassador of Thailand to India.

With Thailand’s augmenting interest in India’s market, many of the firms are planning to enter the Food sector and Automobiles industry, following the steps of Koreans and Japanese firms.

Invest India, which is the National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency of India acts as the first point of reference for investors in India. The agency is working on everyday level, trying to find solutions for such companies to enter in India. Working on South East Asia focusing on Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia is a confidence booster for Thai companies to look upto New Delhi.

Such technology will help the farmers to re-route themselves to enter a new segment which could be a game changer for agriculture practices in India currently.

Dr Harsh Vardhan,Hon’ble Minister, S&T and Vice President, CSIR on the occasion said that it is a historic day and the biofuel technology is going to be a game changer as the Biojet fuel is greenhouse gas neutral, carbon neutral, reduces air pollution and to cap it ,it would bring down import bill on crude oil.“Commercialization of biofuel promises large-scale employment avenues both in formal and informal sector”, said Dr. Vardhan.

The genesis of this development goes back several years to an Indo-Canadian consortium project from 2010 to 2013 involving CSIR-IIP, Indian Oil, Hindustan Petroleum, IIT Kanpur and IISc Bangalore, in which research was directed towards the production of Bio-aviation fuel by CSIR-IIP from jatropha oil and its evaluation under various conditions, culminating in a detailed engine test by Pratt and Whitney in Canada that showed fitness for purpose.

Spicejet - as the lead organization for the demonstration flight - and Chhattisgarh Biofuel Development Authority- the supplier of the jatropha oil for the flight, sourced from over 500 farmers, received considerable policy and regulatory support from the MOPNG Working Group on Biofuels and the Directorate General Civil Aviation (DGCA) in making this flight happen.

With this maiden flight India joins the exclusive club of nations using biofuel in aviation.The use of bio jet fuel, apart from reducing greenhouse gas emissions by about 15 percent and sulfur oxides (SOx) emissions by over 99 percent, is expected to provide indigenous jet fuel supply security, possible cost savings as feedstock availability at farm level scales up, superior engine performance and reduced maintenance cost for the airline operators.

Ampere Vehicles established in 2008, is into design, development, manufacturing and marketing battery operated electric vehicles which include electric cycles, electric two-wheeler, electric three-wheeler and custom built electric vehicles. The electric vehicles are available for personal mobility, industrial applications, and materials movement. First phase costing Rs 77 crore for acquiring 67 percent is to be completed by 31 December 2018. The company can acquire another 13 percent at its discretion for Rs 75.5 crore in a span of three years.

Greaves Cotton is a multi-product, multi-locational company is one of the leading engineering companies in India with core competencies in diesel/petrol engines, farm equipment and gensets.

Greaves currently provides transportation to almost 10 million people daily through its powertrain solutions. In addition, Greaves reaches 5 million customers (of aftermarket spare parts) per month through its network of over 5000 retail outlets.

The newly launched Greaves Care network services nearly over 7000 vehicles per month, with plans to substantially ramp-up in the coming years.

Greaves will be able to leverage its distribution, aftermarket and service strengths to help Ampere grow more rapidly, said the company.

This acquisition in the electric mobility segment underscores the strategic intent of Greaves, said the company.

Nagesh Basavanhalli, MD & CEO, Greaves Cotton Limited, said, "With this strategic acquisition, we will be able to address a wider range of customer segments with clean energy mobility solutions." Greaves and Ampere will be a synergistic combination of our excellence in frugal engineering & manufacturing with a new age electric mobility solutions company.

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@Krishi Jagran Media Group
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Jain Irrigation to Develop Irrigation and Watershed Facilities in Rawanda215332018-02-30T08:02:28ZKJ Staff Rwanda is investing in modern agriculture project and is at the forefront of using latest technology to improve productivity. They have taken impressive strides in value added agriculture. Jain Irrigation Systems (JISL) has received a contract worth Rs 127 crore (USD 18.7 million) from the Rwandan Government for developing irrigation and watershed facilities.

Jain Irrigation to Develop Irrigation and Watershed Facilities in Rawanda

NEWS

Rwanda is investing in modern agriculture project and is at the forefront of using the latest technology to improve productivity. They have taken impressive strides in value-added agriculture. Jain Irrigation Systems (JISL) has received a contract worth Rs 127 crore (USD 18.7 million) from the RwandanGoverment for developing irrigation and watershed facilities.

The contract has been awarded by the Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB) for irrigation and watershed development in Mahama sector under the export targeted modern irrigated agriculture projects in the country, JISL said in a regulatory filing.

The project, which will be executed near Rusumo (Rwanda Tanzania border), is financed by the Exim Bank of Inia under the government's Line Of Credit (LOC) programme, it added

This is an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract and JISL aims to complete the project in the next 18 months. The total area under irrigation will be 1,220 hectares. There is also a component of watershed development and capacity building for over 1,752 hectares, it added.

Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd is a diversified entity with a turnover in excess of one billion dollars. Having a global presence with 32 manufacturing bases spread over four continents. The company products are supplied to 126 countries with able assistance from 10,000+ dealers and distributors worldwide. They have reached over 7.2 million farmers. Jain Irrigation is the second largest Micro-Irrigation company in the world. The Micro-Irrigation Division manufactures a full range of precision-irrigation products Jain irrigation provides

Jain Irrigation is also the largest manufacturer of plastic pipes in India covering a wide range of pipes and fittings. They annually process over 500,000 MT of various polymers. They extrude pipe/sheet and inject the molds of PVC, PE, PP & CPVC along with other engineering polymers like Polycarbonate, Polyamide, PBT, ABS etc. The company is a Total Solution Provider for various plastic piping systems that are used in the conveyance of fluids, semisolids, gases, and cables.

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The Fear of Pink Bollworm to Shrink Cotton Acreage129372018-22-06T07:22:22ZKJ Staff The National Seed Association of India (NSAI) expects a dip of 4-5 percent in the cotton acreage in the country. Most of this could happen in Maharashtra and Karnataka.The area in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana could remain the same as in last year.

3 lakh cotton farmers to get Rs 210 crore in compensation

NEWS

Notices were issued by the Maharashtra Agriculture Department to seed companies in the state to pay Rs 210 crore in compensation to around 3 lakh cotton farmers affected by the Pink Bollworm attack.

At least 12 districts are reported to be affected by pink bollworm. Maharashtra is the first state to seek National Disaster Relief Fund assistance for crop loss due to pest infestation; till now it was only sought citing drought. The state has sought Rs 3,337 crore aid and relief for pest attack on 42.07 lakh hectares. After punchnamas and assessment of the loss of the cotton crop due to pink bollworm, the state government in December 2017, announced compensation for farmers at Rs 30,800 per hectare. Of this, Rs 6,800 a hectare was to be given from the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF), Rs 8,000 from the crop insurance cover and Rs 16,000 from the claims from the seed companies.

The hearings in districts of Amravati divison and Beed were pending. Insurance companies, National Disaster Relief Fund and seed companies are all part of the compensation process under the Pink Bollworm attack.

Hearings are in progress at present and accordingly the State Agriculture Commissioner Sachendra Pratap Singh, Vijay Kumar Ingale, Director, Quality Control and other senior officials have been pursuing hearings on this issue.

Earlier, the department had directed seed companies to pay compensation worth Rs 93 crore to cotton farmers for the damage caused by the Pink Bollworm attack. Last season, some 34.35 lakh hectares had been affected by the Pink Bollworm attack affecting some 13.59 lakh farmers.

cultivation on 55,000 hectares. Hearings for Akola, Buldhana, Amravati, Washim, and Yavatmal districts in Amravati division and Beed district are yet to be completed.

According to officials, seed companies have been granted one month’s time to file their replies. After this, they can appeal to the Commissioner of Agriculture.

Though the compensation from two components has to come from the respective companies, the third component has to be paid by the state government.

The state government, in January, sent a memorandum to the Centre demanding Rs 2,425 crore and later revised the amount to Rs 3,373 crore in March demanding the assistance under NDRF.

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Drones for Crop Assessment Maharashtra to sign MoU with IISc215402018-43-30T08:43:15ZKJ Staff Although India is among the top producers of several agricultural commodities, it continues to have grossly inaccurate production estimates. Maharashtra, the second largest producer of cotton, soyabean and sugarcane in the country, has often missed its production and yield estimates. Accurate data is also required to compensate farmers for crop losses caused by natural calamities and for settlement of insurance claims.

Drones for Crop Assessment Maharashtra to sign MoU with IISc

NEWS

Although India is among the top producers of several agricultural commodities, it continues to have grossly inaccurate production estimates. Maharashtra, the second largest producer of cotton, soybean and sugarcane in the country, has often missed its production and yield estimates. Accurate data is also required to compensate farmers for crop losses caused by natural calamities and for settlement of insurance claims.

The Maharashtra Government plans to soon sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Bengaluru’s Indian Institute of Science (IISc) to use drone technology developed by its aerospace engineers for estimating area, yield, and health of soybeans and cotton.

In the case of sugarcane, production estimates have gone wrong time and again. Despite the use of satellites, the sugar industry estimated 2017-18 sugar production at 251 lakh tonnes while the actual production was 28.5 percent higher at 322.5 lakh tonnes. In the absence of reliable government data, vested interests are known to manipulate production and storage estimates of commodities such as cotton, soybeans, and pulses. While the central government set up the Mahalanobis National Crop Forecast Centre in 2012 to use state of the art technologies developed by the ISRO, accurate data continues to be elusive. The Maharashtra government has been experimenting with the use of drone technology to estimate crop damage for the past few years with the help of private agencies. “We have submitted the results to the MNCFC. However, the progress hasn’t been satisfactory,” said a government official. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Pasha Patel, Chairman of Maharashtra State Commission of Agricultural Costs and Prices, held a meeting with KPJ Reddy and SN Omkar, professors of aerospace engineering at IISc, to set up centers in Maharashtra.

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Regional Conference on Motivating and Attracting Youth in Agriculture215552018-12-31T01:12:48ZKJ Staff With an expected rise in global population to around 8.0 billion by 2025 on one hand and the ageing agriculture profession coupled with waning interest of youth on the other, is a serious concern today as to who will feed the world tomorrow and how we will achieve and meet the targets of sustainable development goals (SDGs). In this context, the role of youth in accelerating agricultural growth cannot be underestimated. In fact, those nations have progressed much faster where youth has been motivated and involved in creative, secondary and specialty agriculture – supported well by an enabling policy environment.

Regional Conference on Motivating and Attracting Youth in Agriculture

NEWS

With an expected rise in global population to around 8.0 billion by 2025 on one hand and the ageing agriculture profession coupled with waning interest of youth on the other, is a serious concern today as to who will feed the world tomorrow and how we will achieveand meet the targets ofsustainable development goals (SDGs). In this context, the role of youth in accelerating agricultural growth cannot be underestimated.In fact, those nations have progressed much faster where youth has been motivated and involved in creative, secondary and specialty agriculture – supported well by an enabling policy environment.

India presently has the largest population of youth (356 million between 10-24 years) in the world (UN Report, 2014), even larger than China (269 million). This obviously reflects a bright future provided the greater percentage of those living in rural areas (around 200 million), are motivated andattracted professionally to agriculture and allied fields. On the contrary, at present hardly 5 percent of the rural youth is getting engaged in agriculture.

In this context, a Regional Conference on “Motivating and Attracting Youth in Agriculture” is being organized during 30-31 August 2018 at NAAS Complex, New Delhi by the Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Sciences (TAAS), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI), Skill India, Agriculture Skill Council of India (ASCI), Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD),National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). The Conference would provide an opportunity to all stakeholders to interact and discuss various options and avenues for not only attracting youth to agriculture but even motivating them towards entrepreneurship in agriculture and allied fields. On the inaugural day on 30 August, 2018, more than 120 participants including farmers from various states, senior research, development and policy related officials/managers from national and regional organizations, NGOs, the private sector, education and training institutions, and other members of civil society participated to discuss ways to motivate and attract youth to agriculture (MAYA). The regional conference has attracted participants from Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Dr. AK Singh, DDG (Extension), ICAR welcomed the participants and mentioned that rural youth is running towards urban areas thereby putting tremendous pressure on the existing urban resources. Therefore, there is a need to create employment opportunities for the youth in rural areas in agriculture.

The conference was inaugurated by Dr. T Mohapatra, Secretary DARE & DG, ICAR and mentioned that we need to attract youth in agriculture by providing them lucrative alternatives. He also posed a question as to what percent of youth need to be involved in agriculture, analyze their aspirations and develop a roadmap for the country and region. He suggested to create a “Mission for Youth in Agriculture” and “Regional Platform for Youth in Agriculture” including neighboring countries as partners.

Dr. MS Swaminathan, the father of the green revolution in India addressed online and he informed that youth have the potential to revolutionize agriculture in India and the region.

Dr. Ravi Kheterpal, Executive Secretary, APAARI mentioned that youth have aspirations and they want to get involved in glamorous jobs. If such jobs are created in agriculture, it will bring revolution.

Dr. RS Paroda, Former Secretary DARE & DG, ICAR and currently Chairman, TAAS desired mainstreaming youth in agriculture, Youth wants to play role in technology transfer and make India a self-reliant country. Youth need to be trained as an employer than the employment seeker. The farmers in India need one stop solution for all their problems like a multispeciality hospital and we need to have a policy in agriculture too.

Five technical sessions have been planned during the conference on Current initiatives on youth empowerment, initiatives on youth empowerment in South Asia, motivating youth for entrepreneurship, scaling innovation and successful business models followed by a panel discussion on enabling policies on MAYA. The outcome of the conference is expected to better understand the role of youth for sustainable agricultural development and improved livelihood in the region. Successful entrepreneurship models will be identified to catalyze youth to adopt innovative ways for sustainable agriculture and improved livelihoods. The role of youth will be defined for outscaling innovations through needed linkages and partnerships. The conference would also provide policy guidelines to reorient, motivate and attract youth in agriculture. Also, a regional coalition “Framework for Action by Youth” for knowledge sharing and mutual learning will be established.

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Ecofrost of Ecozen Solutions - winner of Ashden Award is Portable Solar Cold Rooms215632018-35-31T01:35:08ZKJ Staff Fruits and Vegetables are highly perishable and spoil very fast. India ranks first in number of verities of fruits and vegetables and second in the world in terms of extent of production. We produce more and waste more. The fruits and vegetables are season and region specific. Fruits and Vegetables are generally produced in the rural sector say 72.4 percent of population. They need to cover long distances before reaching the consumer either through APC`s , Mandis or individuals, There are inadequate cold transport and retail chains which leads to significant spoilage and losses estimated around 35-45 percent of produce . TIFAC survey estimates losses to Rs.40,000 Crores per year.